Loners
by ghost dream
Summary: She felt lost without her children. — SSB4. Implied Rosalina/Dark Pit.


"Comet!"

Rosalina did not like boasting, but she was proud of herself on her ability to love and nurture others when there was no one to provide that for her during her early years, except for the Lumas themselves.

"Comet!"

So when she discovered that her Luma had been away playing with Kirby and the other critter-like creatures of Smash for too long, she began to get concerned. She hadn't seen him since this morning, and it was currently almost sundown.

"Comet...!"

Her voice became hoarse as she called out for him yet again. Her anxiety increased every time her calling came unanswered. She had looked everywhere, from under her bed to behind the bookcases. She had even tried to enter almost every major room in the Smash Manor, from the kitchen to the lounge. Of course, she wasn't able to look inside every single combatant's room apart from a few of her close friends from the Mushroom Kingdom. She couldn't bring herself to ask practically everyone's permission to look inside their rooms in such a fashion. It was too intrusive and she didn't have the gall to ask such favors from people she didn't know too well.

He wasn't here in her room, though. That much she was certain. Rosalina quickly turned away and left her room. Doors and corridors passed by her, and she eventually found herself in the foyer. She could see Peach and Pit conversing next to one of the staircases. The pink princess was listening intently to the angel's story.

"And so then, I had to fight this huge beast, right? Twinbellows the Ferocious! But I wasn't scared, so I pummelled the guy! And then**—**"

"Excuse me." Rosalina's small voice interrupted him. When the two turned to face her, she was felt briefly guilty for rudely dropping in. "I am terribly sorry for interrupting. I wanted to know if any of you has seen my Luma."

Pit's confused face already hinted on what he was going to say. "Uh… No, I can't say I have. Sorry Rosalina. Uh, Peach, what about you?" Pit looked to the Mushroom Kingdom princess for a response. Rosalina didn't know Pit terribly well, and she wasn't sure about the exact nature of his relationship with Peach, but he had been exceptionally kind to her every time they communicated. She was sure he was being honest.

Peach, her long-time friend, frowned. "No, I haven't seen the little one either. I'm very sorry Rosalina. Do you need any help?" Her eyes glimmered with concern as she watched the tall blonde.

Rosalina gave away a smile, trying to reassure the two. "Th-that's quite alright. I have not even looked everywhere, so I am sure I can find him if I keep trying. Thank you. I will come back if I do need help."

"If you say so, Rosalina. We're always here if you need any support." Peach's sweet smile and Pit's worried expression filled her with some hope. She knew she could trust them. However, she didn't feel like burdening them at the moment. For now, she would check the area outside.

"Thank you very much, you two. Until then," said Rosalina with a small curtsy. She turned away from the pair and exited the foyer by going through the door that connected with the courtyard. The sky was darker now, and she could see the moon beginning to rise. She felt panic rising gradually. If Comet were lost at this hour… Rosalina shook her head of such thoughts, taking in a deep breath. Her hands balled into fists in determination. She couldn't give up yet.

For what seemed like half an hour, she looked everywhere in the courtyard. She called out Comet's name multiple times as she walked around the cobble pathways that lined around the neatly trimmed bushes and the large fountain that was centered around them. The several tall lamps that lined along the pathways provided the only source of lighting, apart from the moon that was beginning to rise. She didn't notice anyone outside for the most part**—** save for Yoshi, who was asleep on a soft pasture of grass nearby. She was a bit surprised that her yelling did not rouse him from his slumber.

Maybe Comet was a bit further away from the courtyard. The thought sounded so dangerous to her; she didn't like the idea of her child being so far away from shelter. But she had no where else to look at that point. She approached one of the outer areas of the estate, where a cliff dropped down in front of what yielded a gorgeous view of a vast valley far ahead. Not many trees gathered here and the lighting coming from the mansion was barely felt. The bright moon and stars spilled a soft, beautiful glow over the earth that provided enough visibility. She could see her telescope remaining in the same places it always was, a few feet away from the cliff drop. This was usually where she watched the stars with Comet. He didn't seem to be around here, either. And here she actually thought that this was the last logical place he could possibly be.

"COMET!" She screamed, in the loudest volume she had ever called out his name that day. Her voice game out more angrily than she intended. Indeed, with all of the searching she had done today, stress had built up in her at a level more than she could bear. She didn't care if someone happened to hear her; It wasn't as if she was disturbing anyone in the manor now that she was far away. There was no response, which didn't surprise her at this point.

"Comet," she wailed tiredly. Her anger quickly dissolved as sadness began to creep within. Her hopes on finding him was draining away as she was engulfed around in almost total silence. She could hear crickets in the distance, emphasising the feeling of being ignored. Helplessly, Rosalina stood there, her mind coming to a blank. What else was there to do? She felt herself giving up. Maybe he'll find her way back to her eventually? No, that didn't sound right to her…

Her neck craned upward until there was nothing else in her vision but the night sky. No clouds or overcast tonight**—** the stars were shining brightly. Rosalina calmed down a little bit when she found herself lost in them. She sighed.

Mario, Luigi, and Peach were very excited for her when she showed them the sealed envelope. They told her that she would have a good time. It wasn't just about brawling and matches; there was a lot to learn here. Culture and lore from other worlds that are closer to each other than what she thought was possible. There were lots of people to talk to as well. They said that Smash was an opportunity to bring out the best in you, to maximise your potential in a realm where anything was possible. Unfortunately, she couldn't help but to feel frightened by it all.

She still felt bitter after what she read in the letter. She may only bring one Luma with her to the tournament. That's it. It made it all the more daunting; more easier for her to feel lonely whenever she was away from Comet. It was a toxic habit; she couldn't function well if she was separated from her Lumas for too long. And she had to deal with that fact whenever Comet was knocked out during matches and in situations like the one she was in now. She was near-cripplingly homesick. It was embarrassing. She wanted to overcome this, but her improvements were coming in too slow.

Her unique upbringing made her a little more attached to her star family. Rosalina, having very little human interaction prior to this tournament, was rather shy in front of others. Even if someone was kind to her, it was more easier for her to withdraw herself than to further any relationship. Mario and friends were often to busy to spend time with her, so it was usually Comet that was her consistent company. It created a pesky barrier between her and the other humans in the tournament. Her exceptions included the child smashers like Ness and the Villagers. She enjoyed reading them stories in her room. It was one of the few things she could do that made her feel more at home. They reminded her of her star children. But they couldn't come for storytelling every day, just like how it was back at the Comet Observatory.

A shaky sigh escaped her lips as she thought of home. The Lumas were her only family. Her hope. They created her into the woman she was today. She felt helpless without them sometimes. Much like how helpless they sometimes were if she couldn't be around.

Her lips quivered. Every day she thought about them. She wondered about Polari. Was he looking after them well just like he promised? And the Hungry Lumas, were they being fed enough star bits? Oh, how they must miss her so. Even while she was gone, she hoped that they felt her presence from all the way here.

Her inner thoughts took her mind into a world far away from the tournament that she practically jumped up with a gasp when she heard a male voice call out from behind her, bringing her back to reality.

"Hey. Is this yours?"

She quickly twirled to face her visitor, and what she saw drove out the shadows from her heart immediately. She couldn't regard the one who spoke to her since he stood right next to the object of her immense concern, Comet. The Luma sparkled in moonlight as he quickly darted towards the astonished blonde. Comet shoved himself into Rosalina's chest in glee, and she did not waste any time to squeeze her child in a deep embrace. She didn't even notice that she had dropped her wand in her excitement.

'Comet! Y-You're back! Oh my goodness!" The woman struggled to speak coherently. The relief and happiness that rushed over her was almost overbearing. "Oh, Comet! Where have you been?! I was so worried!"

Comet squealed, nuzzling into her neck. A relieved sigh escaped Rosalina's lips. Her shoulders sagged, feeling a pleasant calm that she sorely missed feeling all day. "Please… don't ever do this to me again."

What seemed like minutes of unbridled love later, Rosalina remembered that there was another person in their presence. Startled, she quickly looked to her hero, and she was rather surprised by what she saw.

Her first thought was how eerily similar he was to Pit. His attire nearly mirrored his: high black sandals with fuzzy trims, a black chiton fastened by a purple gem-embedded fibula, black gloves covered with golden bracelets, and a golden laurel donned upon his unruly hair. His most striking differences were that his hair and wings were a pitch black and he had piercing, crimson eyes that were furrowed, looking at the two with what seemed like mild annoyance. He didn't give away a particularly warm aura, but she could sense that this young man was more mature and hardened than his lighter counterpart.

Realising that she had been merely staring at him for too long, she spoke shakily, "M-my apologies. I can not thank you enough for what you have done. Y-your act of kindness… I very much needed it. I don't have the words…"

The look-alike crossed his arms. "Tch. All of a sudden that thing started to follow me when I was minding my own business. Probably would have followed me to my bed if I didn't take him to you."

The poor thing was lost, just as she had suspected. The more she thought about it, the worse it sounded. To be lost without her for that many hours… "Thank goodness the little one was able to get some help. What is your name? I am Rosalina."

He answered her question, after what seemed like a moment of hesitation on his end, "…Dark Pit. I already know who you are. I talked to way too many people today to figure out that you were his mom."

"Dark Pit…" She repeated his name. Admittedly, it wasn't the most original name she'd ever heard. It made her curious on the nature of his relationship with Pit. Was he a doppelgänger of sorts? However, she didn't feel like it was in her place to ask him such questions now. She was too thankful for him at the moment. Emotions began to well up within her without her control.

"Thank you, truly. I-if you hadn't come, I don't know what I would**—**" Her lips squeezed together to block off a sob that threatened to come out. Slight tears began forming at the corners of her vision.

Why now, of all times? She hadn't remembered the last time she cried. What prompted this? The questions echoed helplessly in her mind as she closed her eyes and wiped her tears away, sniffling. Comet frantically orbited around her, only stopping when she assured him with a soft stroke on his visage. This was truly embarrassing, she thought as she fought to attain some composure. She looked to Dark Pit, who had uncrossed his arms with a grimace. His baffled reaction forced her to utter out the most reasonable thing to her. "S-sorry."

A moment passed, and his helpless expression returned to its usual scowl. "Geez, here comes the waterworks." Well, the 'dark' in his name definitely meant something. But his comment didn't sting as much when she could see that he appeared rather unnerved, still. His demeanour was rough, but… why didn't he leave if he seemed so annoyed? He could have done so already.

He crossed his arms again and continued, "I've seen you fight before, too. You're actually pretty ruthless. Don't tell me this is how you really are outside of battle."

Dark Pit had noticed her before? In battle? Ruthless? Normally she would have inquired about this, she was too emotionally exhausted to do so. She gave out a mirthless laugh, almost too afraid to give the raven-haired angel eye contact.

"Then today just isn't my day." Her cheeks began to warm as she spoke, still feeling embarrassed for crying in front of this young man who she barely knew. Her eyes felt a bit puffy from earlier; she must have appeared to be a mess in front of him. "I'm sorry you had to witness this side of me. I assure you… I am not like this all of the time."

"S-stop apologising…!" Dark Pit's voice wasn't as harsh this time, when his frustrated stammering revealed a more softer side to him and as he looked at her with eyes that yielded… concern? She wasn't able to look at them for long, though, as he shifted his gaze to ground broodingly. He muttered in a more softer voice that sounded foreign to her, "It's not like I'm mad at you or anything. Just… stop crying. It makes me feel like _I'm_ the one that made you do it."

An awkward silence hung over as Rosalina struggled to find anything to say. His personality seemed to have gone a full 180 degrees in front of her. And she was initially under the impression that Dark Pit didn't particularly like her at all. …Was he trying to cheer her up? She wasn't sure if he was doing a good job at it, but she strangely found herself enjoying his company.

She replied, pouring out her most sincerest thoughts of the black angel. "You have done no such thing! I am deeply grateful to you, Dark Pit. My emotions got the best of me… I haven't seen my darling since this morning. And then, you came to my rescue when I was beginning to lose hope that I would ever find him." A small smile grew on her face. "You are very kind. I won't forget what you've done."

He didn't respond. His gaze on the ground didn't waver, but even through the darkness she could see his cheeks glowing slightly red by her words. Comet mewled as he approached the raven-head, capering around him in the air like a curious animal. Rosalina giggled softly. "See? Even Comet is thanking you."

"Whatever… It was nothing. Stop getting all sappy." He grumbled, refusing to look at the both of them and instead opted to look downward towards his feet. His cowlicked hair swept over his face that she couldn't see his bashful expression. Finding this endearing, Rosalina's held a hand over her mouth, holding in another quiet giggle.

After a moment of silence, he uttered so lowly that Rosalina almost couldn't hear, "Little guy must be important to you, huh?"

Rosalina's smile widened, pleased that the conversation seemed to be gearing away from her teary outburst. "Yes… He and many others like him at home are my family. They are all that I've known for many centuries, since my home resides over an observatory that travels through space. I have not had any contact with civilization until I met Mario and his friends."

His russet eyes regarded her once more, attentive. He didn't respond, so she continued, "You may call me attached, but Comet is the only one here who I can truly turn to whenever I am in need. Being here is… It is not easy as it seems. I-I am not the most social of people, so I don't know many of the others here."

To her surprise, she saw Dark Pit smile for the first time, although it was in the form of a smirk. Something she hadn't felt in a while began to form. A familiar feeling blossoming within her. A pleasant congruence. What he said next made her consider that perhaps today wasn't so bad after all:

"That makes both of us."

* * *

><p><strong>The Luma in this story is called Comet. It's really dumb and unoriginal the more I think about it and i'm sorry.<strong>

**I really don't know what inspired me to make this pair. I don't even know how it even came to exist in my head. But I do think it could work well, whether it's shipping or just plain friendship (my preference, i think). Whichever tone you interpreted in this story, go for it bruh**

**I have not played KI: Uprising, by the way. I also haven't watched enough much playthrough videos of it to have an extensive knowledge of Dark Pit and Kid Icarus lore in general, so I apologise for that. That's why I've written this from Rosalina's PoV. Most of my knowledge pertains to his dialogue in Smash and what little I've seen in Let's Plays and such. I hope I did not stray away too much from writing his canon portrayal. My overall impression of him is that he's more of a totally antisocial dork than he is a bad guy.**

**I just headcanon Rosalina having one huge flaw which is separation anxiety from her Lumas. And this is an AU where Rosalina could only bring one Luma with her, which makes it worse. Also since she has lived a mostly solitary life away from human interaction (let's pretend that the kart/sports games don't apply fic because i am lazy trash), she's pretty bad at the whole "making new friends" thing. **

**Gonna try writing more Smash fics later…. hopefully. I got a few pairings tucked in the back in my head. But the spring semester's starting next week…. oop**

**Reviews would be hella.**

**- ghost dream**


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